The Power and the Glory

gga

Reviewing this book really seems a bit ridiculous. Who the hell am I
to review this? If you haven’t read it, go, go now. It’s only 220
pages, won’t take you a minute… Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you.

It also didn’t occur to me that I was reading a ‘Catholic book’ over
Easter weekend until I was nearly finished.

This isn’t a book about the Catholic sacraments, or about religion or
faith. It isn’t even about persecution and martyrdom. The value and
effect of all those is well understood. This is about something
deeper: the moral ambivalence and ambiguities at the heart of
everyone. All these characters fit together and draw so much from
those around them — misinterpreting each others actions, intentions
and clinging to the the symbolism of another person. Their individual
actions are small. The overall result may be large, but often it
isn’t. In the end though, it doesn’t matter. Labels are attached,
conclusions are drawn, meaning is derived, and the world moves on.